Buckinghamshire University Technical College Special Educational Needs Policy

Transcription

1 Buckinghamshire University Technical College Special Educational Needs Policy Responsible Officer: Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality Date: September 2013 Review date: September 2014 Procedure available: Website/Reception/Learning Centre Authorised by: Governing Body 1

2 ARRANGEMENTS FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (SEN) AND DISABILITIES Purpose: This policy deals with the special educational needs of children and young people at Bucks UTC. We recognise that some of our students will have special educational needs and we are mindful of our duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum which is tailored to individual needs. Statement of Policy Bucks UTC holds as one of its highest priorities the health, safety and welfare of all children and young people involved in courses or activities which come under the responsibility of the Bucks UTC Bucks UTC will help its students gain suitable qualifications and skills that will impact on their lives beyond their time at the Bucks UTC. Bucks UTC will help to foster the potential of every student, promoting the can do will do attitude that is essential for success, confidence and self-esteem. Bucks UTC will have a Special Educational Needs policy and procedures in place, which is made available to parents, students and staff Bucks UTC will offer an additional learning support (ALS) service for students with a range of additional needs: o We will provide support for students with a learning difficulty, disability, medical condition or mental health condition. o ALS will be available to all students with additional needs (subject to assessment and agreement of need, resources and funding). o ALS will be arranged to fit in with individual students timetables. o Referrals to ALS can occur at any time during the academic year. Reasonable support adjustments will be made regardless of course or location to ensure that students with a learning difficulty or disability are not disadvantaged. Services are provided to students attending the Bucks UTC campus, and to students who attend or access learning programmes in the community, in the workplace or via distance learning provision. Bucks UTC will draw up a written three year plan to increase over time accessibility to the UTC premises, the curriculum and information to disabled students within the resources we can afford. Bucks UTC will provide a senior member of staff designated to take lead responsibility for dealing special educational needs (SENCo), providing advice and support to staff and parents, and liaising with agencies Where we do not have in-house expertise, we may seek advice from external specialist organisations, for example, Bucks Specialist Teaching Service, Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), British Dyslexia Association (BDA), MENCAP, MIND, Bucks Interpreting Servicing. 2

3 Bucks UTC will provide regular training to ensure all staff are aware of the arrangements for SEN and their responsibilities Bucks UTC will undertake an annual review (or with legislative changes and guidance) of its policies and procedures relating to SEN The content of this policy and the effectiveness of its implementation will be reviewed each year by the Governing Body. The Governing Body will receive reports from the Vice Principal that identifies the success of students with SEN, compared with national attainments. This data will be scrutinised and an action plan will be produced to improve outcomes further. These actions will form part of the performance management targets of staff at the Bucks UTC. Duties in relation to students with SEN 1. The Governing Body of Bucks UTC must comply with all of the duties imposed upon the governing bodies of maintained schools in: Part 4 of the Education Act 1996 as amended from time to time i ; The Education (Special Educational Needs) (Information) Regulations 1999 as amended from time to time; The Education (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 as amended from time to time ii. 2. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Secretary of State may (whether following a complaint made to him or otherwise) direct Bucks UTC to comply with an obligation described in this Policy where Bucks UTC has failed to comply with any such obligation. 3. Where a child who has SEN is being educated at Bucks UTC, those concerned with making special educational provision for the child must secure that the child engages in the activities of the school together with children who do not have SEN, so far as is reasonably practicable and is compatible with: (a) the child receiving the special educational provision which their learning difficulty calls for, (b) the provision of efficient education for the children with whom they will be educated, and (c) the efficient use of resources. 4. In addition to complying with the duties imposed upon the governing bodies of maintained schools set out in The Education (Special Educational Needs) (Information) Regulations 1999 (as amended from time to time), Bucks UTC must ensure that the website includes details of the arrangements for the admission of disabled students; the steps taken to prevent disabled students from being treated less favourably than other students; and the facilities provided to assist access to Bucks UTC by disabled students (disabled students meaning students who are disabled for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 iii ). 5. Bucks UTC must ensure that students with SEN are admitted on an equal basis with others in accordance with its admissions policy. 3

4 6. Where a local authority ( LA ) proposes to name Bucks UTC in a statement of SEN made in accordance with section 324 of the Education Act 1996, it must give Bucks UTC written notice that it so proposes. Within 15 days of receipt of the LA s notice that it proposes to name Bucks UTC in a statement, Bucks UTC must consent to being named, except where admitting the child would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for other children; and where no reasonable steps may be made to secure compatibility. In deciding whether a child s inclusion would be incompatible with the efficient education of other children, Bucks UTC must have regard to the relevant guidance issued by the Secretary of State to maintained schools. 7. If Bucks UTC determines that admitting the child would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education, it must, within 15 days of receipt of the LA s notice, notify the LA in writing that it does not agree that Bucks UTC should be named in the student s statement. Such notice must set out all the facts and matters Bucks UTC relies upon in support of its contention that: (a) admitting the child would be incompatible with efficiently educating other children; and (b) Bucks UTC cannot take reasonable steps to secure this compatibility. 8. After service by Bucks UTC on the LA of any notice (further to paragraph 7 above) stating that it does not agree with the LA s proposal that the college be named, Bucks UTC must seek to establish from the LA, as soon as is reasonably practicable, whether or not the LA agrees with Bucks UTC. If the LA notifies the Bucks UTC that it does not agree with Bucks UTC response, and names Bucks UTC in the child s statement, Bucks UTC must admit the child to the school on the date specified in the statement or on the date specified by the LA. 9. Where Bucks UTC considers that the Bucks UTC should not have been named in a child s statement, they may ask the Secretary of State to determine that the LA has acted unreasonably in naming Bucks UTC and to make an order directing the LA to reconsider. 10. The Secretary of State s determination shall, subject only to any right of appeal which any parent or guardian of the child may have to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability), be final. 11. If a parent or guardian of a child in respect of whom a statement is maintained by the local authority appeals to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) either against the naming of Bucks UTC in the child s SEN statement or asking the Tribunal to name Bucks UTC, then the decision of the Tribunal on any such appeal shall be binding and shall, if different from that of the Secretary of State under paragraph 9 above, be substituted for the Secretary of State s decision. 12. Where Bucks UTC, the Secretary of State or the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) have determined that it should be named; Bucks UTC shall admit the child to Bucks UTC. Critical Success Factors Culture, practice, management and deployment of resources designed to ensure all children s needs are met LAs, schools and settings work together to ensure that any child s SEN are identified early LAs, schools and settings exploit best practice those responsible for SEN provision take into account the views and wishes of the child Professionals and parents work in partnership 4

5 Professionals take account of parents views Provision and progress is monitored and reviewed regularly Co-operation between all agencies LAs make assessments in accordance with the prescribed time limits Statements are clear and detailed, specify monitoring arrangements and are reviewed annually. Checklist: Impact on Students/Staff: Provides a safe and secure learning and working environment for all students and staff Impact on Diversity: This is an inclusive policy Impact on Health & Safety: Fundamental to health and safety and a safe learning environment Impact on Data Protection/Freedom of Information: The UTC complies with the requirements of the Data Protection Act, which allows for disclosure of personal data where this is necessary to protect the vital interests of a child Communication/Consultation Plan: The policy, procedures and guidelines will be communicated to staff through professional development and mandatory sessions and made accessible on the UTC VLE and the website Students and parents will be made aware of this policy through the Student and Parent Handbooks, tutorial, Student Council and the VLE/website Process of review: This policy will be reviewed annually or with legislative changes and guidance and approved by the Governing Body Process of review of effectiveness: The Governing Body is accountable for ensuring the UTC has effective policies and procedures in place and monitoring the UTC s compliance with them. The Vice Principal: Curriculum and Quality will produce an annual report reviewing how duties relating to special educational needs have been discharged. Legal authority: The Education Act 2012 The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2001 The Equality Act 2010 Responsibility for maintaining this policy rests with: Vice Principal: Curriculum and Quality Links to other policies: Equality and Diversity Health and Safety Safeguarding Anti-bullying i Currently and these Harassment duties are in section Policy 313 (Duty to have regard to the Special Educational Needs Code of Behaviour Practice Policy 2001); 317 (Duties in relation to students with special educational needs), 317a (Duty to advise Attendance Policy 5

6 parents that special educational provision is being made); and 324 (5)(b) (Duty to admit the child where a school is named in a statement) ii These regulations are amended by The Education (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators)(England) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009 No 1387) iii For the meaning of disabled, see section 6 of the Equality Act